Ministers from the 29 European Space Agency and European Union Member States will meet in Prague on 23 October for the 1st EU-ESA International Conference on Human Space Exploration, to prepare a roadmap leading to the definition of a common vision and strategic planning for space exploration. This first step in a process that will lead to the definition of a European vision in this field stems from a Resolution adopted by the 5th Space Council in September 2008. Besides Ministers and delegates from the EU, ESA and third countries, the conference will also be attended by Members of Parliament and representatives of industry and academia.

The Conference will take place at the Stirin Castle, 25 km south-east of Prague (www.stirin.cz). The provisional programme for the press will run as follows: